Process of making a stable volatile composition suitable for explosive-engines.



w. RIGULICK. PROCESS OF MAKING A STABLE VOLATILE COMPOSITION SUITABLE FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILEI) .IULY3I, I9I3- I Patented June 13, 1916..

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 13, 1916.

' Application filed July ai,.1a1a. Seri a1ii'o.78t,292.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. Gomox, a; citizen of the United States, residing at J er-; City, county of Hudson, State, of New sey Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Makin a Stable Volatile Com osition Suitable I01- Explosive-Engines, 0 which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to produce a compound which can be used as asubstitute for gasolene in explosive engines and which like gasolene can be ignited in such engines by an electric spark.

In carrying out the invention I have discovered a process of making a stable volatile composition from crude petroleum or its non-volatile sene and distillates, the composition being susceptible to ignition by an electric spark. The compound, while volatile, may be termed stable because it is uniform and homogeneous throughout the entire volume and will maintain these characteristics indefinitely when allowed to stand and is not aiiected by temperature variations of the weather. In other words, the ingredients of the compound have entered into combination and will not separate or change by lapse of time or changes in weather conditions.

I am aware that others have suggested various means in the effort to make use of crude petroleum and its non-volatile constituents in explosive engines, and that some have endeavored to usea mixture containing such ingredients with gasolene, and it is a well known fact that none of the. workers in this art heretofore has produced a compound from such ingredients which can be used in an ordinary carbureter of an explosive engine and ignited by an electric spark or a composition which would be stable, maintaining its characteristics on standing. My composition is distinguishedfrom any of these previous experiments by the fact thatit is a stable .compound and not a mere'temporary m1xture,-and can be used at any ordinary temperatures exactly like gasolene 1n an ordinary carbureter to produce an explosive mixture in the cylinder of an engine which will be ignited by an electric spark. I have found that such a compound will not be made by simply mixing gasolene with crude oil or its non-volatile liquid by-products, but that the elements must be brought liquid by-products such as kero-' sTa rns PATENT 1 wrnnnm nnnnme annex, or quasar em; mew JERSEY.

together in the way which I have discovered l in order to bring about the proper combinat1on. I have dlscovered that the compound,

can be produced by bringing the gasolene and non-volatile llquidconstituents of crude petroleum together in such a way that one of them will be practically atomized and the atoms will'thus be brought into intimate association with the atoms of .the'oth'en-ingre- "dients. The material which is in a closed chamber to prevent evaporation is then stirred or agitated in any suitable way. for

several hours, and thereafter the material 1s allowed to stand for some hours, the

result being that the gasolene will combine w th the other material and will thoroughly dissolve or consume the elements of grease,

oil, paraflin or other greasy or fatty matter that may be in the material. There is thus a union between the ingredients and they will not separate or deteriorate b lapse oi time. As a specific illustration 0 my process I place a certain amount of gasolene in a closed chamber which I term a converter and supply crude petroleum or its nonvolatile liquid by-p oducts under pressure to the upper part 0 'the chamber, spraying it through an atomizing nozzle against the inner wall of the chamber allowing the atomized particles to come in contact with the vapor above the gasolene and to fall on the gasolene itself in the finely divided and separated particles. While the material is being thus supplied the gasolene is agitated by any suitablemeans and this is continued for about two hours so that there is a thorough commingling and intimate association of all parts of the material. The material is .then allowed to stand for about two hours or longer so as to bring abouta more thorough dissolution of the fatty carbonates. I have found that the proportion of gasolene and crude oil or its constituents can vary within rather wide limits and that the limits of'the variation depend on the character of have successfully used as low as 25% gasolene in producing such compound capable of use in explosive engines, and of ignition by electric sparks.

as above described,

In producing my fuel and in carrying out my process I may make use of anysmtable apparatus and the present invention is of course not limited to any particular machine for that purpose. 7

In the drawing, the single figure shows a device partly in section which may be used in carrying out the process.

In this drawing, 1 represents achamber or converter of any suitable size or shape which may be closed and which is adapted to contain a certain volume of gasolene 2 in thebottom thereof. A pipe 3 leads into the upper part of the chamber and discharges against the inner side wall and it will be understood that crude petroleum or its non-volatile liquid by-products are to be supplied through thispipe under pressure so that it will be reduced to a very fine spray or atomized against the wall of the chamber. It will be understood that there is some vaporin the chamber arising from the surface of the gasolene and the atomized non-volatile elements will be intimately mixed with this vapor and will descend to the surface of the liquid gasolene entering into it. A shaft 4 is shown extending vertically within the chamber and having arms 5 extending therefrom for the purpose of agitating the gasolene and the fluid formed by the addition of the non-volatileconstituents of the crude petroleum. The shaft may be rotated ,by any suitable means so as to agitate the material, the pulley 6 being shown for that purpose. The agitation of v the material is carried on at the same time that the non-volatile material is supplied in an atomizing spray and after a sufficient quantity of the non-volatile material has been supplied, the agitation is'continued for I about two hours so as to keep the particles in intimate contact so that the chemical union between them can be completed. At

the end of this stirring operation, the com-.

pound is allowed to stand for two hours or more whereby on account of the intimate association of the parts the elements of grease, oil, paraflin or other greasy or fatty matter that may be in the crude petroleum will be dissolved and the result will be a stable homogeneous solution. It should be noted that this is strictly a dissolution process and not one of distillation.

As compared with ordinary gasolene my improved composition can be manufactured at less cost and produces more power. It also possesses lubricating properties which can be relied upon to lubricate the cylinders of explosive engines and its use therefore effects a considerable saving in the cost of for oil in connection with this class of en? gines is for lubricating the cylinders.

It is well known that when ordinary gasolene is used the cylinders of an explosive engine gradually become incrusted with what is known as hard carbon, which car- 'bon is very diflicult to remove. One of the solvents commonly used for hard carbon is kerosene. My improved compound includes for use in ordinary marine,

.a certain percentage of crude oil and I have discovered that it does not produce hard carbon in the engine cylinders. Such car'- bon as is produced is soft and flaky and it becomes loose and is blown out through the exhaust before it accumulates to an objectionable degree. I attribute the fact'that hard carbon is not produced to the presence of a suflicient proportion of the kerosene element of crude oil in my new compound to constantly act as a solvent for any carbon that is produced in the cylinders of an engine and thus keep the same in a soft and flaky condition.

As crude petroleum and its non-volatile elements such as kerosene and distillates are cheaper than gasolene it will be evident that my lmproved composition can be produced at a lower price per gallon than gasolene.

veloped and greater mileage obtained from the new composition than from an equal quantity of ordinaryv gasolene, the increase in power and mileage being' from 10% to 25%. The improved composition is adapted stationary and motor vehicle engines, of the internal combustion type, Without any special adaptation of the carbureters or ignition devices. It is especially economical and desirable on account of its lubricating properties and it may be relied upon to keep the pistons thoroughly lubricated without recourse to ordinary lubricating oil, which latter is much more expensive. In this connection, the use of my new fluid renders impossible the stickingof pistons and other serious accidents which occasionally occur from neglect to provide ample supply of lubricant. While my composition produces more heat units and more power than the same volume of gasolene, I find that it does not heat the engine so much and that the same precautions for cooling the engine when in operation are not necessary. This is. probably due to the lubricating effect of the composition.

I am aware that lubricating oil in small quantities, from 2 to 3%, has been used in gasolene for the purpose of lubricating theby the engine rather than adding to it. lubricating oil, as the chief item of expense One of the advantages of my invention is that my new compound can be used not only my compound and is unable to secure an additional supply he may simply add gasolene to his tank and in the same Way if he is using gasolene and my compound is accessible he may simply add it to his gasolene and continue to run his motor as before.

' Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: y

1. The process of making a volatile com pound from the non-volatile liquid constituents of crude petroleum and gasolene which consists in bringing the materials together by spraying one of the materials in such way that all particles of one will be brought into intimate contact with the particles of the other throughout the. material, agitating the material for several hours, whereby there will be a combination between the elements and allowing the compound to stand until the union becomes complete and the fatty and greasy matter therein is dissolved forming a stable compound capable of use in an explosive motor and of ignition by an electric spark.

2. The process of making a volatile compound from gasolene and the non-volatile liquid constituents of crude petroleum which consists in spraying one of said materials in contact with a body of the other material thereby bringing theparticles into intimate contact agitating the mass of matet'ial to assist the combination between the particles and allowing the composition to stand until the union between the particles has been completed and a stable volatile compound is formed.

3. The process of making a volatile compound which consists in injecting the nonvolatile liquid constituents of crude petroleum into a closed chamber containing gasolene, the said material being introduced in the form of an atomizing spray whereby there will be an intimate association of all particles, agitating the resulting material, during the supply, of said non-volatile constituents and for about two hours, then allowing the compound to stand for several hours until the fatty and greasy matter therein and similar, ingredients are thoroughly dissolved by the gasolene and until there is a complete union of the particles of the two ingredients into a new compound 

